


Faith, and trust, and pixie dust

by drunkenshrimp (svnwritten)



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Angst with a Happy Ending, Captain Hook! Chanyeol, Character Development, Enemies to Lovers, Hopeless pining, Light Angst, M/M, Near Death Experiences, Peter Pan Retelling, Peter Pan! Jongdae
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-18 06:20:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29605158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/svnwritten/pseuds/drunkenshrimp
Summary: In a world like Neverland, good is sparkling with gold and evil is lurking in the shadows.The thing about shadows, however, is that even the smallest beam of blight can chase them away.
Relationships: Kim Jongdae | Chen/Park Chanyeol
Comments: 9
Kudos: 23





	Faith, and trust, and pixie dust

**Author's Note:**

> This is a chanchen Peter Pan! au, in which everyone (Pan, Hook, Lost Boys, etc) are in their 20s (no weird business on my watch).  
> The story itself isn't based on one version of the fairy tale, it's a mash-up of several versions with a sprinkle of my own imagination.
> 
> The title is a quote from "the original version" story by J.M. Barrie:  
> "All the world is made of faith, and trust, and pixie dust."
> 
> PS Thank you @jongkittycat for commissioning me to write this.

Chanyeol was leaning over the map, studying it cautiously and with the greatest care as if he didn’t know the shore of Neverland as well as the tip of his hook. His finger traced along the dark lines, but his eyes were inevitably drawn to the center of the island. The promised land that he never dared to step into. The magical kingdom of one man with a teasing smile, bright eyes, and freckles scattered around his face like a token of all their past encounters. Chanyeol raised his hand and laid it over his heart.

“Captain, there was-” Kyungsoo materialized almost out of thin air, even though the door behind him was clearly open. Words died in his throat at Chanyeol’s expression. “You got lost in your thoughts again,” he said with an accusation, mixed with concern.

The silver hook tore at the bottom of the map. The tiny piece of worn-out paper fell on the wooden floor of his wangan.

“Unrelated,” Chanyeol huffed and stubbornly looked away, even though the map sang - sang beautifully - to glance at it again. “What are you here for?” he added and it sounded harsher than it should.

Kyungsoo didn’t even flinch.

“The star beamed at us with green light, Chanyeol,” he said seriously.

Chanyeol’s eyebrows furrowed.

“Are you sure?” he asked hoarsely. “It’s been years since the last time…”

“I’m certain,” Kyungsoo adjusted the glasses resting on the tips of his nose. “The star beamed with a green light. It means-”

“It means that a new boy came to Neverland,” finished Chanyeol and rolled the map. “We gotta catch him before anyone else does it before us.” he quickly tugged the map behind his belt, intending to leave the wangan and stand at the helm of Jolly Roger.

Kyungsoo, however, was faster, quickly catching him by his wrist. At times like this - when they were alone and they could be friends, instead of a captain and a member of his crew, Kyungsoo felt much bigger than Chanyeol. His round eyes stripping him bare off his secrets.

“Who are you planning to catch, Chanyeol, huh? This new boy or-”

Chanyeol yanked his hand away, the tip of his hook tugging at Kyungsoo’s sleeve.

“Don’t you dare to finish that question,” Chanyeol gasped out, his eyes feverishly bright. “Don’t you dare-” he repeated and left the room with words trapped in his throat.

* * *

Neverland’s sky was a palette of blue hues. Beautiful in a very poetic way: shyly turquoise with orange edges in the morning, baby blue with a milky splash of vanilla at the noon, gorgeously sapphire in the afternoon and, at last, deeply azure with silver pearls spread up to the line of the horizon at night.

Poetic pretty was Neverland’s sky for most of the time. For a very long time.

Back in the days, Neverland’s sky used to flash with a variety of colours: jade green, bright yellow, flamingo pink and rosy red. Each colour for a different child. Colours that painted the sky like a promise of new scenery change.

Jongdae used to love when it happened. But, years had been passing and - with time - less and less children came to visit the Neverland. At some point, Jongdae simply _stopped_ waiting.

That’s why he nearly fell off of the tree when one of the stars flashed at him with neon light. Green like a mamba and green like hope.

“Minseok!” he wheezed loudly, hand slipping off the trunk of the tree. “Minseok! Yixing! Baek!” he cried, eyes brimming with tears of joy. “Baek! Tinks!”

A tiny, golden fairy charged at him with the speed of light, its sparkle coating Jongdae’s cheeks, blending with his freckles.

“Jongdae!” Baekhyun clumsily fell on his knee. The glitter bursting out of him in waves of excitement. “Have you seen that? I came here as fast as I could,” he rambled happily, pointing between the sky and himself.

“I’ve seen it, Baek!” Jongdae beamed at the fairy and his smile almost outshined the golden pixie dust. “A child is coming to Neverland!”

Baekhyun laughed with delight, clapped his hand and jumped into the air, his tiny wings fluttering. As a delicate pixie - Baekhyun himself wasn’t too fond of children, but seeing the light in Jongdae’s eyes again, was the greatest thing that could possibly happen to him.

“I’ll let the boys know to go and search for this child!” Baekhyun exclaimed, patting the top of Jongdae’s hand - leaving a tiny handprint on at the base of his thumb - and disappeared in the cloud of golden smoke and sugar-like powder.

Suddenly the safe hide-out in the tree felt too stuffy for Jongdae. He pushed himself off the trunk and sprouted out into the air, spreading his arms and taking a deep breath in. He swallowed hard and mouthed something soundlessly, just to try it out. Just to check if he was still capable of holding its weight.

“ _Adventure, here I come_ …” he whispered quietly into a soft gust of wind, praying that it would take these words in the right direction. That they would end up basking under the sun and sliding over the waves of the ocean.

Jongdae looked at the south, eyes glued to the horizon and the expanse of tael water surrounding the island. Far, far away, he could see a shadow-like shape that was wobbling at sides but undoubtedly swam towards the shore. A nervous smile formed at the corners of Jongdae’s lips.

_Soon, the moment would come to pay a visit to an old friend…_

Jongdae looked at the sky again. This time, instead of green, he saw the stars shining at him with a silver sparkle - the very colour of Chanyeol’s hook. He bit at his lips. It was quite shameful how many times Jongdae had thought of visiting his arch-enemy during that childless-void of time. It was quite embarrassing how he - the adventure-lover, the man who thrived off adrenaline and thrill - was afraid of facing the truth that made his blood rush and that made his heart beat faster.

“Come down, Jongdae!” called someone from the depth of the forest. “Jongdae, where are you?!” 

_”Have they found the child?”_ crossed Jongdae’s mind as he flew down, letting his soul roam freely through the forest, watching his shadow tackle every tree and kiss every flower. _“Have they found them yet?”_

He barely noticed Baekhyun appear by his side in his full-gold-gleam-on glory. All that mattered was the green shining star and a sparkling hope at the distance.

At last, they arrived at the clearing and Jongdae rested his feet at the moist ground, heels digging into the soft moss. Baekhyun instantly inserted himself into the front pocket of Jongdae’s shirt. Their attention was drawn to the young man, sitting on the ground in front of them with a pipe flute in his hands.

“Yixing! Have you found the child yet?” Jongdae gasped out, crossing the distance and pulling Yixing to stand on his feet.

Yixing blinked - drowsily waking up from his pipe-induced dream-like state - and glanced at Jongdae slowly. He looked almost troubled. It was never a good look on Yixing.

“The child?” he repeated.

Jongdae bounced on his foot impatiently, “Yes. The child that came to Neverland.”

Yixing’s eyebrows furrowed and his gaze slid around the glade.

“Yes, you could say that we found him.” he replied, at last, his mind wandering far, far away, somewhere where Jongdae could never quite reach no matter how high he flew, “But, he’s not our usual kind of visitor. Minseok will be here with him soon.” Yixing added and blew the pipe. “For now, goodbye.” he shot Jongdae a tiny smile and disappeared into the deep woods.

On any other occasion, Jongdae would ponder on the strange behavior but now… now the leaves rustled behind his back. Jongdae knew his Neverland well enough to tell how many people were walking through the woods. Could recognize Minseok’s easy steps and could hear someone clumsily break the twigs beneath their feet.

“ _It must be a tall child,_ ” occurred to Jongdae, the moment he heard two people arrive at the glade.

With heart beating fast enough to rip out of his chest, he swiftly turned on his heel, a wide smile pulling at his lips. Their corners wavered, however, as soon as two long arms trapped him in a strong hug. The unknown smell similar to a cider tree scratched his nose as a breathy, relieved “Jongdae!” reached his ears.

And it was this “Jongdae”, and the hopeful, tiny sound that followed that made Jongdae finally recognize this voice. The voice that he bid his goodbyes with years ago.

“Sehunnie?” he asked, eyes opening widely, looking for Minseok who stood nearby. The Lost Boy nodded subtly. “Sehunnie,” Jongdae repeated.

“Jongdae!” Sehun - Sehun who now must have been in his 20s - was on a verge of sobbing. 

Jongdae patted him awkwardly. His head had trouble comprehending the situation, so he gently pushed Sehun away. For the first time, he took a look at his face - a face which didn’t belong to a child but still wore the remains of purity and naivety.

“Sehun, what the hell are you doing here?” Jongdae asked and it sounded harsh, much harsher than he intended.

Sehun visibly flinched. “I didn’t know that you could swear…” he mumbled, shakily.

Now, that flimsy answer Jongdae knew how to deal with. Maybe, he misunderstood. Maybe deep down, Sehun was still a boy.

“Answer the question, Sehun,” Jongdae said sternly as if he was chiding him. “Why are you here?”

Sehun pouted, “What do you mean, Jongdae?” his eyes were wide in wonder and surprise, “Didn’t I promise you? That I would come back and help you defeat Captain Hook?”

“Yes but…” words died in his throat.

_… But it was a promise you were supposed to fulfil in your dreams._

“Hey!” Sehun frowned suddenly, looking at Jongdae as if he had just realized something. “You used to be a child! And him too!” he pointed at Minseok in a child-like way, with accusation.

A peal of surprised laughter rumbled across Jongdae’s chest and he could see how it dissolved the tension that was gathering in Sehun’s muscles. So Jongdae laughed more and more. Because he liked laughing very much but he hardly had an opportunity ever since his world turned upside-down and a pirate stopped being a pirate and for a moment was only Chanyeol, with warm hands and possibly warm heart. And Jongdae laughed even more at this memory - a warm hand on his chest. And then the sound ceased as he remembered the panicked “ _oh my god, what have I done, Jongdae please- don’t die-_ ”.

When he looked at Sehun again, all that was left was a famous biting smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. Sometimes he wore it like a trophy, today he wore it like a mask.

“I looked like a child to you because that’s what you needed most. A close friend and an equal.” Jongdae shrugged and proudly shook his shoulders. His next words were poison on his tongue that he couldn’t help but spit out. “Captain Hook is not an old man either and I think that’s how you used to see him.” he said and then added quickly: “Everything on the island is magical and child’s magic is the most powerful one. You viewed us just like your imagination told you to see us.”

“And now, I’m not a child…” Sehun murmured as if it all made perfect sense. He glanced at Minseok and at Baekhyun (his eyes widened slightly) and then - back at Jongdae. “Has anything else changed?”

_Yes, a lot. Everything actually._ \- wanted to say Jongdae.

But he said, “No. It’s still the same Neverland.”

_It’s just the people that are different now._

* * *

The uneasy sea was rocking the Jolly Roger as if it desperately wanted to put its captain to sleep. As if it wanted to keep him away from the shore. Chanyeol’s heart leapt. That could mean that Jong- no, _Pan_. That Pan had already found the child and made him a part of his little band.

In full honesty, Chanyeol couldn’t remember when the last time he managed to find the child first. Who was the last? Was it eager for mischief Luhan who left after a few days, along with his joyful laughter? Or was it Suho, who never enclosed his real name and vowed to stay on the Roger forever? Chanyeol’s heart squeezed as he remembered the dark bruises on Suho’s chest and the doomed look in his eyes. He didn’t have the heart to send him away. Instead, he let him grow on the ship. Suho was now his second in command.

“The waves are growing bigger,” Kyungsoo walked into the wangan, as always - without knocking. “What do you want us to do?”

Chanyeol sighed and pushed past Kyungsoo, the scent of salty water clearing out his senses and helping him regain the clarity of his thoughts.

“This isn’t any different than any other time,” he mumbled, even though he knew it was. Something in the magic lacing the Neverland told him so. “Let’s dock nearby the mermaid lagoon. That’s where _he_ always starts their little adventure.” he swallowed the bitter lump in his throat.

As if sensing Chanyeol’s distress, Suho suddenly crossed the board of the ship to put his hand over his shoulder.

“Come on, Captain,” - he never quite stopped calling Chanyeol “captain”, not ever since he was a little boy - “It’s gonna be fun.” he smiled and it the same smile, the same words that 10-years-old Suho offered Chanyeol when he marched at him on the shore.

And - just like always - Chanyeol couldn’t help but smile back. He grew way too fond of this child-who-wasn’t-a-child-anymore.

“You’re right,” Chanyeol ruffled his hair, and put his hook on the helm, “It’s gonna be fun.”

When they arrived at the mermaid lagoon the sea was almost silent. The ship was hiding behind the high cliff that way no one would know where they were. Instead of sending either Kyungsoo or Suho to sit at the cliff and watch the scene unfold, Chanyeol decided to go there alone. He couldn’t stand the thought of anyone other than him seeing Pan and the child first. 

_Because Jongdae refused to see Chanyeol after he realized that pirates weren’t that bad after all. He didn’t fly near the Jolly Roger ever since Chanyeol pulled him out of the water. He didn’t even send his shadow to taunt them. And Chanyeol just couldn't understand - why. Why would fearless Jongdae avoid him as if he was scared? Yes, if it wasn’t for pirates Jongdae wouldn’t fall into the sea at all, but how could poor Chanyeol know that the Golden Wonder of Neverland didn’t know how to swim? If he knew… he would never- he wouldn’t ever-_

_But, obviously, Jongdae (he was still a Jongdae back then) couldn’t know that Chanyeol hadn’t known._

So Chanyeol sat - anxious with anticipation and jerky with excitement - at the top of the cliff waiting for the child and Pan to arrive. To look at them at least once. To see what kind of child fate sent to Neverland and to see Pan smiling.

But minutes were passing and all Chanyeol could see was the green forest surrounding the azure-blue lagoon, gold sand at the beach, silver rocks where mermaids usually leisured. He had heard that over the past few years - after children slowly, one by one, stopped arriving to Neverland - mermaids had grown claws and teeth. That now they were not only beautiful but also terrifying. Kyungsoo told him so.

“Be careful, Chanyeol,” Kyungsoo pointed a finger at him before Chanyeol set his foot on the sand for the first time in Too Long. “Careful of the mermaids, pesky children and-”

“I will be,” Chanyeol nodded frantically back then, anything to make Kyungsoo shut up. “I promise that I will be.”

But he was an impatient man and his fingers were tangled in the green grass that smelled of freedom and of Neverland and its favourite Golden Wonder. Chanyeol - a man who stopped waiting for a miracle to light up the sky - now couldn’t stand the thought of waiting for any second longer. And so, against a better judgment and Kyungsoo’s wise advice, he decided to come off the cliff and hide in the forest surrounding the lagoon. Away from the mermaids’ hands and a tad closer to Pan when he would arrive.

“Just a few meters closer,” Chanyeol whispered quietly into the safety of the forest as he walked down the hill.

The leaves and trees and orange and purple flowers used to suffocate him but ever since he learned that Jongdae smelled of them - he didn’t mind the scent that much. It was almost sweet to him. Endearing.

“Where are you going?”

Chanyeol jumped with surprise, eyes searching for the source of the voice.

It belonged to one of The Lost Boys - Yixing, if Chanyeol wasn’t mistaken. He always seemed the calmest one out of them all.

Chanyeol swallowed the sour saliva gathering in his mouth and shrugged, trying to play it cool. “Down,” he said, nodding down the hill, his path barely visible through the green bush and long wisteria vines, currently covered with the flood of purple flowers.

“You’re going to the lagoon,” Yixing concluded, pulling a wooden pipe flute out of his pocket. “I should warn you.”

Chanyeol raised his eyebrow with interest. Yixing was never mean towards him, but helping out a pirate? That sounded at least suspicious.

“Why?” Chanyeol asked simply, as the Lost Boy examined his pipe flute. “We’re enemies. What do you have in warning me?”

Yixing's dark gaze moved from the pipe to Chanyeol, careful eyes taking in the villain in front of him. His gaze was so intense that Chanyeol could barely stop himself from shuddering. In the end, Yixing shrugged and closed his eyes.

“We were enemies, once.” he blew into the pipe and the forest echoed with the sound of a singing bird, “But, only because we never talked. We just agreed to play along with the roles this world inflicted on us.”

Chanyeol held his breath, waiting for a longer explanation but as soon as Yixing attached his lips to the pipe flute, he understood that there were things he had to figure out himself. 

They bid each other no goodbyes but as Chanyeol continued his way down, the sound of Yixing’s magical pipe, which sounded like birds and made one’s dreams fly, accompanied him like an invisible friend.

* * *

The mermaid lagoon was completely silent when he arrived at the shore. No echoing laughter, no loud splashes of water, even the melody of Yixing’s flute didn’t reach this place. There was only Chanyeol, his rapid heartbeat and his shallow breathing. He couldn’t see even one single mermaid for now, but he knew that they were watching him from their deep water. Impossible to catch, beautiful and widening their mouths showing rows of sharp teeth.

Chanyeol gulped. Oh, how he wished to be blessed by fairy’s kisses and feel no fear, dread no evil. How he wished to be different, gentle and patient and playful in the way that made others laugh, not shake in fear.

He backed away, hiding deeper into the safety of the forest. Its gentle darkness soothed his nerves like a balm. He brushed away the wisteria flowers that were falling on his arms, a petal-soft armour and flowery-sweet warning. The skin on his skin was almost in a similar colour to the flowers - pink and lovely. Pan would laugh if he saw him now. And if Pan looked at him with Jongdae’s eyes - rare eyes, eyes that were willing to look at him for longer - maybe the laugh would be void of mockery. Full of warmth instead.

Chanyeol looked at his hook. A crumpled little petal was hanging off its tip. It didn’t look pretty like the rest of the petals around him. It looked broken.

The bush on the opposite side of the lagoon rustled and Chanyeol instantly shrunk himself deeper into the gracious wisteria. Even its shadow was lilac-pink, but he was pretty confident that his hide-out would remain untouched. The forest rustled again and laughter - clear like a bell and loud like thunder rolled through the lagoon, skipping over the azure surface of the water. Chanyeol felt his heart squeeze in his chest. He would recognize this sound at the world’s end. (But he would never sail there, not if it meant leaving Neverland behind. Home is home, same for a villain as for a hero.)

The sun was shining but, Chanyeol realized, the world was grey and dull until Jongdae stepped out of the forest: all wide smiles, lanky limbs and sparkling eyes. All happiness and joy, and magic. Oh, so much magic around him that Chanyeol’s breath caught in his throat. It had been too long since the last time he saw this smile. His fingers hopelessly curled around long strands of grass, nails digging into the soft moss.

And then the world had come to crumbles as a tall, young, handsome man appeared behind him and Jongdae threw his head to the back and grinned at him so widely that Chanyeol felt like he was dying. Terror mixing with dread filled his veins, the world grew dark again, and Jongdae stood on his tip-toes to whisper something into this man’s ear.

“He’s not from here,” Chanyeol gulped, lips forming words but not even a breath coming out of his mouth. “He’s human.”

“Damn right, he is,” snorted someone behind Chanyeol and the captain almost had a heart attack.

He turned around and his eyes grew to the size of two twin moons. One of the twigs of the wisteria tree was completely covered with golden dust.

“T-tinkerbell,” Chanyeol uttered.

“Damn right, Tinkerbell.” Baekhyun huffed, chin raised high and eyes stubbornly fixed above Chanyeol’s head, “But you may call me Baekhyun.”

Chanyeol rubbed his eyes and covered and uncovered his ears for a good measurement.

“This isn’t happening,” he mumbled.

“It fucking is, sadly.” Baekhyun shook his head and pointed at the lagoon, “Universe made an idiotic mistake and allowed an adult to sneak into Neverland. Fucking hell.”

“Tinkerbell has a dirty mouth,” Chanyeol whispered in awe.

Baekhyun glared at him angrily. “Not a word about that to Jongdae, understood?”

“I, um, yeah sure, but we-” Chanyeol stuttered, “we don’t really talk anyway so…” He curled into a ball under Baekhyun’s judging gaze.

“Yeah… right,” Baekhyun hummed, his voice suggesting that he would love to argue about it but mercilessly decided not to, “It’s not a problem for today anyway. Nope, i’m definitely not fucking with that today.”

He jumped off the twig and flew towards Chanyeol. His little hands tugged at the fabric on Chanyeol’s arm impatiently as if he wanted to pull him upwards.

“Come on, get up. We have to shoo the imposter away.” Baekhyun’s tiny fist punched the air.

“Imposter?” Chanyeol frowned.

Baekhyun rolled his eyes and sighed loudly, “Yes, imposter, obviously. It’s called Neverland, not Foreverland. People can’t just jump into this place whenever they fucking want to. Sehun has to go. Fast.”

“Sehun?” Chanyeol tasted the name on his tongue, his eyes shifted to the men exploring the lagoon. “You mean him?”

“No, I mean Minseok, he changed his name. Of course, I mean him.” Baekhyun snapped his tiny fingers in front of Chanyeol’s face, “Come on, wake up. Good god, would you start cooperating?”

Chanyeol helplessly blinked between Baekhyun who was close and Jongdae with Sehun who were far away (too far, but at the same time - too close). Jongdae pointed at something stirring deep under the waters and Sehun leaned forward, chin hovering over Jongdae shoulder and next to the line of his neck.

“But if Jongdae’s happy…” Chanyeol started anxiously, name slipping easily past his lips.

“You are supposed to be an evil-devil villain, why the hell are you so soft?” Baekhyun put his tiny hands on the top of Chanyeol’s cheeks, squishing them lightly. “Sehun’s not from Neverland. He doesn’t have magic on his own, he’s not a child anymore. And if he doesn’t have magic…”

“His body will try to absorb the magic from here.” the realization drew to Chanyeol. “Shit.”

“Shit indeed,” Baekhyun nodded, “And he will start with the first person nearby.”

“Jongdae.”

Baekhyun grinned but it was a bitter-sweet smile. “Damn right.”

“Does he know?” Chanyeol asked instantly.

“Jongdae? Yes, I think he does.” Baekhyun’s face dropped a little bit, “But he’s never been able to say no. Not when he still remembers Sehun as a child. You know what heroes are like,” he waved his hand impatiently, “Never take goddamn care of themselves. Always putting others first. Fucking hell.”

The water in the lagoon started splashing, mermaid’s tails sparkling in the sun on the full display. Chanyeol watched as Sehun’s eyes almost popped out of his sockets. He must have remembered them differently. Jongdae looked completely unfazed as he laughed at the mermaids waving to him.

“So what are you planning to do?” Chanyeol asked, without tearing his eyes away from Jongdae.

Baekhyun sat on Chanyeol’s knee. For a moment he wasn’t speaking at all, eyes trailing behind Jongdae, just like Chanyeol did.

“We need Jongdae to understand that Sehun doesn’t belong here,” Baekhyun said and it sounded so final that it was almost inappropriate to hear it coming from the fairy's lips. “The twist is that Jongdae has to see it himself. Right now, he’s… he’s vulnerable, a little bit lost, he lost his spark because his world isn’t the way it was.”

“Because the children stopped coming?” Chanyeol inquired, but Baekhyun shook his head.

“Because he liked the idea of the world being black and white a little bit too much. And the world is much more than this, isn’t it?” he looked at Chanyeol seriously, “The world is full of shades of grey. Not every fairy speaks with poems and… not every villain wants to get rid of the hero.”

Chanyeol swallowed the lump in his throat. His tongue was heavy in his mouth as he spoke.

“I don’t chase Pan to kill him,” he breathed out. The confession tasted bitter-sweet. A bit shameful too.

He expected everything but he didn’t expect Baekhyun to giggle.

“That much is obvious, Captain. You forget that I was with Jongdae when you saved him from drowning.” he pinched Chanyeol’s cheek and his wings fluttered, raising him higher. “But it’s refreshing to hear you say that.” he winked and burst into another fit of giggles. “I’ll be seeing you around Chanyeol. And remember we have a deal, Sehun has to disappear,” he added and in a blink of a second - he was gone.

Chanyeol sank deeper into the shadows of the wisteria tree. He had no idea when the world shifted on the other side, but whatever happened there it must have shaken Neverland to the core if Tinkerbell wanted to work with Captain Hook.

* * *

The Jolly Roger was swaying left and right, the gentle breeze making the air lighter and the tension almost impossible to trace. The sun was bright, the sky was high, the water was wet and Chanyeol was staring intensely at the shore of the island. If he was correct, today Jongdae and Sehun would go explore the caves situated at the sea-side.

In the past, this was when he planned his grand attacks to recapture the kids from Jongdae. Sometimes he managed to catch them and keep them captive, until Jongdae - like a knight on a white horse - with his taunting voice landed on the deck of the ship, announcing that he was there to break the children free. And Chanyeol let him do that, every single time. He liked the scent of freedom too, even if it was never given to him.

And he also liked to just allow Jongdae to do whatever he pleased. And he liked trying to catch him while he flew over his head. Always over his head. Every single time. (So, it was unavoidable really for Jongdae to always be on Chanyeol’s mind.)

Deep in his memories, Chanyeol didn’t even notice when Kyungsoo stood next to him, his presence as natural as the waves at the sea - calming, but making one alert.

“What?” Chanyeol jerked when Kyungsoo patted his shoulder.

“The crew is wondering what we are up to today,” Kyungsoo informed. His voice wasn’t demanding at all. If anything it was warm and concerned, “We figured the usual plan changed.”

Chanyeol hummed and looked over his shoulder. Suho was stubbornly looking at the compass and Jongin was sliding down the flagpole. Both of them pretended that they weren’t watching whatever Kyungsoo was talking about with their captain. Chanyeol huffed with amusement and straightened his back.

“Boys,” he called and all eyes were on him in a second. “Today is a special day. I haven’t told you that, but the child that has arrived to Neverland a few days ago… is not a child,” with a firm shake of his head he dismissed all anxious murmurs that raised after his announcement, “Adults can’t live in the Neverland unless they grew up here, like some of you did. The new visitor, Sehun, may or may not be aware of that, but we have to stay cautious.”

He took a deep breath and looked at the faces of his friends. Their eyes were like a sea during the storm - different emotions swimming on the bottom and crashing into each other, stirring the unease beneath their skin.

“As you know The Jolly Roger, the sea and us - pirates - were not blessed with magic as much as other parts of this island and its inhabitants. Whether we like it or not, Sehun is dangerous to us.” Chanyeol declared seriously, “I don’t know what Jong- _Pan_. What Pan is up to… A little bird told me that he may be aware of this situation, but is unable to give up on the image of the child that Sehun was. The problem is that, as you know, only by Pan’s doing the child can leave Neverland. Pan has to agree for them to come back.” 

A loud laugh rumbled down the shore - a foreshadowing to whom would soon appear on the beach. Chanyeol inhaled sharply, trying to calm himself down, and continued his speech:

“But this is our home too. And I promised you, all of you, to protect you and keep you safe. So… I’m begging you. Whatever happens, do not come close to Sehun. Your magic is too weak and I…” his voice broke, “I can’t lose any of you.”

The silence that fell on the ship after his final words put the world - even the sea - at halt. The waves stopped quietly crashing against the shore, the wind stopped whistling in their ears and the birds, all-together, took a long breath, waiting for a sign to start singing again. At last, it was Kyungsoo who broke the silence:

“You heard the captain.” he called calmly, “No one touches the visitor. He could drain us of the magic. And we can’t survive without it running in our blood.” he sighed but it wasn’t a sigh of relief. If anything, it sounded like defeat.

Unexpectedly it was Jongin, Jongin of a soft smile and gentle hands, who spoke once Kyungsoo was done.

“We will respect the captain's order if he promises to be careful himself.” it was rare - very rare - to see Jongin void of his smile. “If he promises that… if Pan does something risky, he would not follow him.”

Chanyeol squirmed under the bleeding plea in Jongin’s eyes. Oxygen burned him alive, the flames taking over the heat of his heart and the blood in his veins.

“I’ll be careful,” he said at last, “But we must play according to our roles. I can’t tell what are Neverland’s intentions, but I know that it will protect the good ones.”

That seemed to put Jongin and the rest a bit more at ease. Only Kyungsoo was staring at Chanyeol as if he could read what he was thinking. _That Chanyeol was the main villain on this island, so he couldn’t be sure if he was one of the good ones._

* * *

“Where are we going today, Jongdae?” Sehun called sweetly, his sticky fingers gripping Jongdae’s arm and tugging him closer.

It felt weird - so weird - considering that Sehun’s fingers were long enough to wrap around Jongdae’s arm without any trouble. He pushed this thought at the back of his mind - if Sehun needed to hold him like that, Jongdae was completely alright with that. Even as a child he was extremely clingy, clearly it was still a case when he grew up.

Sehun tugged him harder, sending a stinging pain down Jongdae’s spine. Perhaps, when they explore the caves, Jongdae would be able to step away and rebuild the magic in him at least a bit.

“Jongdaee,” Sehun whined softly again, “Where are you taking me?”

Jongdae stretched his lips into a wide smile, the unbalanced magic was cracking between his teeth.

“Don’t you remember, Sehunnie?” he beamed, “We should explore the caves at the shore today!”

Sehun’s face brightened in understanding, “Ah, and that’s where we shall catch Hook with his crew and give them a lesson!” he let go off Jongdae’s arm and clapped his hands with delight, “I remember now! I was getting worried that you’d forget that I came here to help you get rid of these pirates!” he smiled excitedly.

Something in Jongdae’s guts twisted, taking his breath away for a split of a second.

“I…” _Sehun was like a child on an island and Jongdae had a role to play,_ “Yes! Of course!” _but was Sehun still a child?_ Jongdae couldn’t tell anymore.

The sand was warm beneath their feet when they stepped on the beach. Jongdae had forgotten how golden the sand on the beach could be - he avoided the sea at all cost. The furthest he allowed himself to go until today was the mermaid lagoon. Because mermaids were beautiful but cold - so cold - and they were just as cruel as they used to be, their true nature simply twisted their teeth and nails sharp with time. And because the sea once seemed ugly and cold too - but turned out to have a beautiful and caring face and Jongdae had no idea what to do about it.

“Ah, it’s so beautiful here…” whispered Sehun, as if he could hear a splinter of Jongdae’s thoughts. Somehow, he sounded more mature than ever.

Jongdae shuddered. He looked at the man walking next to him - a soul with a child-like hopeful spirit and a face of an adult person. Life was much easier when the world was either black or white. (Because back then it was easy to forgive a child and now it was hard to give someone a second chance.) 

“I could truly stay here forever!” laughed Sehun, gently taking a starfish in his hands.

Jongdae hadn’t realized when they arrived at the cave. The temperature inside made his stomach churn. For a moment he watched Sehun try to stick the starfish back to the rock. For some reason, it kept sticking to the tip of his fingers.

Sehun pouted, Jongdae laughed. The echo of his laugh like a melody running down into the core of the island. The ground beneath his feet shook, water on the bottom of the cave splashing like milk in a bowl. Sehun’s eyes widened. Jongdae laughed again.

Life was certainly much easier when all he could do was laugh.

But then, suddenly, Sehun’s eyes turned into saucers and Jongdae realized that he was looking at something above his shoulder. The light falling into the cave dimmed. Jongdae feared turning around.

_He could smell The Jolly Roger on the tip of his tongue and he could feel the warm hands on his chest as if they were really there._

But nothing was holding him, no one was saving him now, so he looked over his shoulder to find out that Roger’s sails were as pearly white as he remembered and its captain standing was at its helm just as he used to. Jongdae’s fingers clenched into fists, only to unclench a moment later. 

Chanyeol was still too far for Jongdae to see his face, to see whether he was smiling or whether regret was drawing his eyebrows together. He had no hint as to how he should behave. Ho clue what he should do.

(Secretly, he hoped that Chanyeol would never show up, but at the same time he knew that it would break his own heart.)

“Hook,” Sehun muttered under his breath and carefully put the starfish away. He looked at Jongdae seriously, the sternness painting his eyes dark. “What is our plan, Jongdae?”

_There’s no plan when it comes to him. Not anymore, because I can’t predict what he’s gonna do anymore._

“We should… establish what he is up to…” Jongdae trailed off. An ugly half-truth that hardly satisfied his heart but seemed to satisfy Sehun enough.

The ship was close enough for them to hear the fluttering of its sails. They were loud enough to muffle the sound of Jongdae’s heart.

“Great. When will the rest join us?” Sehun looked around. The cave was as empty as it was: only him, Jongdae, and a lonely starfish. “The lost boys? Tinkerbell?”

“I… I don’t know,” Jongdae admitted honestly. “The boys are free to do as they please. Tinks- Tinkerbell will be here unless he’s out of it, because of pixie dust.” Sehun made a weird face and Jongdae waved his hand dismissively, “Nevermind. For now, we’re all by ourselves.” ( _So perhaps, we could run away and hide deep in the forest hoping naively that we can escape the reality? How does it sound for you, Sehunnie? Isn’t that exactly what you’re doing right now?_ )

Sehun cocked his head and crossed arms on his chest. There was something intrusive in his gaze. Unwanted attention on Jongdae’s half-bare soul. (He was no longer a child even if Jongdae wanted him to be.)

“Jongdae…” he started slowly, “It’s going to sound ridiculous, but… are you sure you want to do this?”

The cave was much colder now than it was minutes ago. The shadows had already crawled into its every corner. Jongdae shivered. Sehun nodded. He didn’t look disappointed, if anything he looked understanding.

“Don’t worry, Jongdae,” he sighed, “I know exactly how you feel.”

“You do?” asked Jongdae dumbly, eyes wide and hopeful and a little bit ignorant because deep down he knew that Sehun couldn’t know.

“Of course, I do. You are afraid of the future. But don’t worry,” Sehun put his hands over Jongdae’s shoulders, “So am I. Always. You are afraid to erase your enemy because he has been a part of your life for so long that you can’t remember how your life was before him.” Jongdae had an impression that Sehun wasn’t talking about him only. “But it doesn’t mean that he should define your life forever. No, you can be _free_.”

Oh, how deliciously ironic it was to tell a Gust of Wind that he can be free.

“It’s simple,” added Sehun.

Jongdae blinked, all of sudden his heart filling with hope.

Maybe Sehun was right. Maybe it was simple. Maybe it didn’t have to be complicated at all. Perhaps the world was as it used to be - innocent _and_ black-and-white. Maybe if Jongdae tried hard enough this adventure could be just another adventure that would blend into the dimmed though colourful past. Jongdae’s eyes lit up. He took a deep breath and cleared his throat.

“Let’s pay those pirates a visit then,” He grinned at Sehun and pushed himself off the ground.

* * *

He felt Jongdae’s eyes on himself before he lifted his gaze from the helm. The sky was blue - baby blue with a magical golden sparkle - and Jongdae looked like an embodiment of star. Chanyeol expected a lot of things but he didn’t expect to see Jongdae charge at him at full speed, flying over his ship like a comet and grinning at him like he used to a long, long time ago.

There was mockery in that smile and it should hurt but it didn’t - instead, it made Chanyeol straighten his back and point at the sky. His tongue knew the spell, before the thought formed at the bottom of his mind.

“This time, I will catch you, Pan!” he yelled loudly, biting the sentences into a smile.

Jongdae smiled back and stuck out his tongue.

“Try me, big boy,” he teased hovering above the deck, his eyes twinkling like Tinkerbell’s dust.

Unable to tear his gaze off, unable to hold himself back from staring awe-stuck (he was sure Jongdae could see the wonder in his eyes), Chanyeol waved his hand at Kyungsoo, Suho and Jongin. 

“Come on, my courageous boys! Bring out the cannons, light up the portfires! You know who’s the target!” How long has it been since the last time he said it?

The wind was wheezing through his words, the sea was restless beneath Jolly Roger. The island was _purring_ with joy. Jongdae laughed. Chanyeol laughed too.

“You’ll never catch me,” sing-songed Jongdae happily.

“We’ll see about that!” Chanyeol threatened him with his hook.

(The world narrowed down to the two of them and the fresh oxygen in their lungs and the familiarity of the situation rushing through their veins, and the newly formed hope in their heart.) ( _Yes, it was simple._ )

(And then it wasn’t.)

The time froze when Chanyeol’s knees shook and he felt as if something was sucking the life out of him. He was full of life and then - in a span of seconds - he felt like dying. His head turned to the left in slow-motion, his gaze meeting dark, vengeful eyes, and a man - Sehun, was his name - gripping Jongin’s wrist with a wild smile.

The fantasy around them stuttered, and a broken gasp raised in Jongin’s throat. Chanyeol blinked and died a little again and felt the terror filling his body, swallowing him whole.

“No!” he screamed because he didn’t have the breath to say anything more.

His feet moved on their own - quick and swift, usually stubbornly tied to the ground, but this time slippery and untrustworthy. He stumbled towards Jongin and Sehun, fast but not fast enough.

But the time his hook hooked over Sehun’s wrist, Jongin’s face started turning pale.

“Why did you do that?” he growled, tugging Sehun away and away.

“Sehunnie!” he heard coming from the air and he knew it was Jongdae’s voice but his mind was soaked with worry and could only focus on the dark eyes staring at him.

“What did you do that?” he repeated, the question slurred with anger. “Why? You could have _killed_ him!”

Sehun blinked slowly, “I could?” he asked and Chanyeol frowned, he sounded like a child. “I could…” he repeated.

(He didn’t sound like a child anymore.)

And it didn’t feel childish when his free hand pushed Chanyeol’s shirt open and rested above his heart.

“We’ll see if I can…” he hissed, “If it sets Jongdae free…”

Chanyeol’s heart hammered against his ribs, trying to crash them into razor-sharp shreds. His vision shook and its edges started turning black.

“Sehunnie, don’t!” someone yelled - Chanyeol knew this voice, it made him warm inside.

Sehun’s fingers dug into his chest, as if he was trying to rip his heart out. (But he was only robbing him of magic, whether he knew that or not.) The world started spinning and the air started lacking oxygen in a split of a second.

“Sehun, stop this madness!” one more desperate cry.

Something hard and forceful tore Sehun’s hand away from the magic-induced heart, pushed Chanyeol away and sent him stumbling back, until his back collided with the mast.

But the air was still heavy in Chanyeol’s lungs. His now-blind eyes helplessly trying to see anything through the thick darkness around him. ( _The night, you’re seeing the night,_ \- whispered the voice at the back of his mind - _This is what people see when they look at the sky, instead of seeing Neverland._ )

The ground next to Chanyeol shook, someone fell on their knees next to him, something warm and tender and solid touched his chest and something liquid and hot fell on his face. (But Chanyeol couldn’t see who and what that was.)

“God, no, please, don’t- You _can’t_ die on me now!” Jongdae cried weakly. And Chanyeol almost smiled. He certainly would if he had enough strength.

Other voices joined this one: Suho and Jongin and Kyungsoo, a lot of screaming and a lot of sobbing and someone yelling angrily that the world was unfair, but at this point Chanyeol’s consciousness was way too far away to grasp any of that.

* * *

The reality was dipped in darkness, shadows so dense that they made it impossible to think straight. There was no wind, not even a gust but something - a breath or some lost soul was brushing his skin, kissing it and leaving cold traces along the lines of his arms.

Chanyeol never really thought how the high skies of Neverland felt if one was not engulfed in its magic. Now, he knew that it wasn’t something pleasant. If anything it was-

A tiny hand slapped his cheek and he opened his eyes abruptly.

“Didn’t we discuss it, shithead?” Baekhyun fumed at him, “Plan first, action second, but you couldn’t listen could you?” he asked angrily and sneezed loudly. 

A thick cloud of golden glitter fell on Chanyeol’s face and he could feel his skin literally sucking in the magic.

“Look at us now,” Baekhyun grumbled, “I have to save you. Jongdae asked me to, by the way. You two have to talk now. But I would have saved you anyway. In case you’re curious.” Chanyeol moaned soundlessly when Baekhyun slapped him with more pixie dust, “This is terrible. Not how we planned it at all. You could have died! Jongdae would kill me for dead, if it happened. Also try not to shit yourself.” he put his hands over Chanyeols’ eyelids and looked at him sternly, “Sleep will you? Gonna be easier that way.”

The world was still dark. But now - as Chanyeol was closing his eyes - he could feel the hope glimmering in the distance.

_“Jongdae asked me to save you...”_

* * *

The colour of Neverland’s sky varied depending on when you looked at it. Sometimes it was royal blue - a sky like a token of fantasy the land was swimming in. Other times it was violet blue - like a dream-like romance book about cross-star lovers. Today, when Chanyeol opened his eyes - it was simply sky blue. Real and unaffected with his visions of darkness.

A relieved sigh slipped past his lips and a face came to his vision.

It was puffy and red with blush. The scarlet worry making every muscle of this face tremble. The freckles spread across its cheeks were blurry with salt and tears.

“You woke up…” Jongdae whispered, his fingers touching Chanyeol’s forehead as if he was made out of glass. “You really woke up, Chanyeol…”

“I told you he would,” Baekhyun rolled his eyes, brushing the golden glitter of his arms, “My magic’s impeccable.”

Jongdae pushed his tiny body away and leaned down, his face hovering above Chanyeol’s. Only a breath away. Close enough for them to be able to count each other's' eyelashes.

“I…” Chanyeol started, but it was hard - so hard - to put his thoughts into sentences when Jongdae said his name so softly. “I was dying.”

Something dark - fear maybe - crossed Jongdae’s eyes.

“And it was my fault.” he finished and shook his head when he saw a protest forming on Chanyeol’s lips, “Don’t try to deny it. It was my fault. I couldn’t separate my memories from reality. I couldn’t tell two Sehun’s apart. I couldn’t-”

Chanyeol’s hand must have been moving on its own, when he raised it to cup Jongdae’s cheek. It was warm and solid and smooth under his touch. Jongdae’s breath seemed to hitch.

“It’s alright…” Chanyeol murmured.

More tears pricked in the corners of hazelnut, blown-wide eyes. Jongdae wilfully shook his head.

“It’s not,” he gasped out heavily, “I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if something- if anything-”

With quite a difficulty, Chanyeol pushed himself off the ground, prompting his upper body on his elbows. With a fraction of his mind, he registered how oddly calm the sea was. He didn’t remember it ever being that peaceful.

“Jongdae, look at me,” Chanyeol said this name many times, dreamed of it many times, but never used it in the presence of its owner, “It’s not your fault. We hate to admit that but,” he inhaled sharply, “we’re humans. We make mistakes, we learn, we grow.”

“And we change.” added Jongdae. “People change.”

There was a beat of silence as Jongdae’s eyes dropped to focus on Chanyeol’s lips before they snapped up all over again.

“Yes, people changed,” Chanyeol agreed slowly.

“I… I never thanked you properly,” Jongdae licked his lips anxiously, “For saving me. Back then.”

“You did the same,” Chanyeol shrugged.

“Technically it was me who-” Baekhyun squeaked quickly, before Jongdae - once again - pushed him away muttering ‘would you leave us alone god damn it’. Baekhyun sniggered and winked at Chanyeol but complied.

Jongdae sighed.

“Actually, Baek’s right… It was him who saved you.” he admitted, eyes avoiding Chanyeol’s.

“You pushed Sehun away.”

“Wasn’t enough.”

“And you asked Baekhyun to save me.”

“Wasn’t _enough._ ”

Chanyeol covered Jongdae’s shaking hand with his own. He felt goosebumps running over Jongdae’s boney wrist and wondered whether it meant what he thought it meant. After all, he wasn’t as naive as Pan was.

“You could have ignored it but you didn’t. It’s enough for me.” Chanyeol whispered hoarsely.

Jongdae’s eyes widened and a new blush - the flustered one covered his cheeks.

“Can I…” his white teeth sank in his bottom lip, his eyebrows knitted in the middle of his forehead, making him look like a troubled puppy. “Can I… do something else? For me this time?”

Chanyeol bit down the “ _everything, you can do everything_ ” and opted to simply nod to the question.

He wasn’t naive and he wasn’t blind so he _saw_ Jongdae’s tentatively moving his face closer - leaving space and time for Chanyeol to turn away. Yet, he almost stopped breathing with surprise when their lips met, slotting together in a smooth manner. Clicking together like they were meant to eventually meet in a kiss. Soft kiss, delicate kiss, chaste kiss - kiss playful but light like Jongdae and kiss purposeful but hesitant like Chanyeol.

Perfect, simply perfect. (Because, Sehun was right - to some extent - it was simple.)

“Captain?” asked someone shyly. Chanyeol opened his eyes and gently tucked Jongdae’s face into the crook of his neck. Once he caught the Golden Wonder, he never wished to let him go.

“Jongin…” Chanyeol lips spread in a relieved smile, “Are you alright?”

Jongin nodded hastily and fell on his knees.

“You shouldn't have done that,” he pointed out.

Chanyeol shrugged. “I had to. I wouldn’t forgive myself if something happened to you. I’m responsible for you. All of you,” Jongdae’s rapid hot inhale tickled the skin above his collarbone. “You deserve to be safe here. This island is your home.”

Someone cleared their throat and Chanyeol’s eyes fell on Suho’s thoughtful face. This look itself was enough to push Chanyeol on his feet - the ground still a tad too unstable for his body, the cotton in his knees still making him wobble. Jongdae reassuringly pulled his arm over his shoulders and though his size and strength wasn’t significant, his presence was enough to keep Chanyeol standing straight.

“Suho?” Chanyeol tilted his head and gestured at him to come closer.

He hadn’t realized when Kyungsoo stepped to his left side - loyal and always supportive.

“About that, Captain, about the island…” Suho fiddled with the hem of his sash. “I think that... it's time for me to leave Neverland. It was my home for so long but… It’s time for me to come back to where I came from. I decided to go with Sehun. Take care of him there. Make sure he… finds his purpose there.”

Chanyeol’s eyes flew to the tall figure standing on the other side of the deck. He could see Sehun’s red-rimmed eyes and the snoot covering the front of his shirt. _Perhaps, deep down he was still a little bit of a child - unsure and uncertainly, unable to comprehend the implications of his actions before it was too late._ (“ _He’d learn, eventually, like all of us._ ”)

“If that’s your choice,” Chanyeol’s voice tottery and weak. “Then I can’t stop you.” he finished and spread his arms open.

Suho hugged him like he did when Chanyeol asked him if he wanted to join his crew - desperately, the raw emotion painting Hook’s body bruised with affection and love.

“I’m gonna miss you, Chanyeol.” Suho whispered into Chanyeol’s ear.

So Chanyeol hugged him even closer, wondering if he left any imprint on Suho’s heart. Wondering if in years, 10, 15 or 20 years - years that Chanyeol wouldn’t be able to count because time flies differently in Neverland - Suho would remember him.

“Hurry up, I don’t have a whole day.” Baekhyun crossed his arms on his chest. “One ticket for two people from Neverland to Earth.”

“I’m gonna miss you too-” started Chanyeol.

“Junmyeon. My name is Junmyeon.”

“I’m gonna miss you too, Junmyeon.”

“And Sehun…” Junmyeon’s voice dropped an octave lower, “He asked me to apologize. On his behalf.”

Chanyeol swallowed the lump forming in his throat. “Tell him that his apology is accepted. E-everyone deserves a second chance.”

“Everyone deserves a second chance,” echoed Jongdae, snuggling closer to Chanyeol’s side. He was trembling, “Sehun… Junmyeon… you’re free to leave.” he said and he didn’t sound like a king that he was.

When Chanyeol was standing on the deck of The Jolly Roger and watched Baekhyun fly with Junmyeon and Sehun far away - where Chanyeol couldn’t go - he didn’t cry. His eyes were wet and his breath was shaky but he didn’t cry. He didn’t shed a tear until Jongdae slipped his tiny palm into his hand and squeezed it tightly.

“Do you think they’ll forget us?”

“You?” Jongdae laughed thickly, “You’re impossible to forget.”

Chanyeol pondered over his next words, taking each of them apart and examining it in his heart. To make sure they fit together just fine. To make sure they wouldn’t fall wrong in Jongdae’s ears.

“And you?” he asked at last, “Would you remember me if you left too?”

Jongdae spun his head around to look at him, completely bewildered.

“Why would I ever leave?” he asked innocently, “You said it yourself. Neverland is home… _You_ are home.”

And yes, maybe Chanyeol did cry a bit.

* * *

(13 years later)

A star shot down the sky, lighting it up like an orange torch. A midnight berry-like Neverland’s sky and a star like a blazing fireball. 

Baekhyun rubbed his eyes, yawned loudly and sprung into the air. Minseok was still sleeping soundly, Yixing curled around him like a cat. Baekhyun didn’t even bother asking himself where the hell Jongdae was.

This time, he had a feeling that it had to be him who was supposed to find the visitor. So he sneaked out, quietly, brushing off the golden trace left by his wings and tucking the sound of their fluttering behind his heart. He flew into the darkness quietly, because Neverland was quiet - for once, all sounds dying in the peaceful silence of the night. No fear, no worries, just thick drowsiness of everyone’s pastel dreams. The air was sticky with fantasies.

Baekhyun flew and flew and flew, towards the source of a faint light - a child lost somewhere on the island. A child who waited for someone to come and show them the most beautiful of worlds.

At last, he found him - a boy standing ankles deep in the water and hopefully looking at the horizon. He was facing back towards the land, as if he was waiting for the first ship that could take him home. Baekhyun watched him for a couple of minutes. He didn’t appear scared, nor anxious. Didn’t seem lost at all either.

“What’s your name?” he asked at last, waiting for the boy to notice him.

His thin shoulders jumped and his head twisted around. He had intelligent eyes and chipmunk-like cheeks. Baekhyun’s eyebrows furrowed.

“You’re Tinkerbell!” gasped the boy quietly, “It’s really you!” he cried happily and reached his hand out, keeping it flat, even if it was shaking a little bit, “Please, sit down, I won’t squish you. I promise!”

Bewildered Baekhyun did as he was told.

“Do I know you?” he asked weakly.

The boy pouted, “No,” he admitted sadly, “Not yet. But I know you! My dads told me everything about you and! And! See, I will tell you all about me but I’m waiting for the ship!” he was missing one front tooth, but he looked so excited and honest that Baekhyun couldn't help but smile.

“You’re waiting for a ship?” he asked with amusement.

“Yes!” the boy nodded frantically, “The Jolly Roger! Paps told me that Chanyeol will take me if I ask nicely.”

The smile that made its way on Baekhyun’s face dropped. Surprise taking over his pixie-delicate features.

“Cha-chanyeol?” he repeated. “You know his name?”

The boy looked a bit taken aback.

“Y-yes?” he replied hesitantly, “My dads told me everything about him. That he is kind and good and that I shouldn’t think of him as a villain and-”

Baekhyun waved his hand rapidly, stopping the boy in his heated monologue.

“Tell me, little child.” his voice sparkled in the darkness like glitter and magic and gold, “Who are your parents? Tell me and I will take you to the person you’re looking for.”

Deep, deep in the forest, at the end of a river that cut Neverland in half, under the shadow of a huge lilac-pink wisteria tree in the faint silver light casted by the moon, there were two people sleeping, their fingers intertwined loosely. Two men: a tall one wearing a pirate hat and a small one, face peppered with freckles and neck peppered with love-bites.

The wind gently swirled the vines of the wisteria tree and a golden speck of dust slipped into their safe hide-out, not enough light to startle them but enough to wake them up. Or maybe it wasn’t the light that pulled them out of their sleep, maybe it was the scent of magic.

Or maybe they woke up so swiftly because they were living a dream, so they didn’t really need sleep at all.

“Chanyeol? Hey, Yeol? Do you feel that? The air smells like…”

“Like an old memory.”

The forest rustled and the darkness lit up with a single golden torch.

“Jongdae! Chanyeol!” Baekhyun’s voice rang across the silence of the night. “You won’t friggin’ believe it!”

_(But - to Baekhyun’s utter surprise - they actually did believe it.)_

  
  


_The end._

**Author's Note:**

> If you liked the story smash that kudos button and leave a comment <3 thanks~


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